Donate Car

Donate Car Biography

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Good News Garage takes pride in being a unique organization unlike other car donation programs. We hold ourselves to a high standard in four key areas - our mission, our impact, tax advantages and outstanding customer service – all of which honor our rich history and heritage.

Our mission - The mission of Good News Garage, a program of Lutheran Social Services, is the core of our difference. “The mission of Good News Garage is to provide safe and reliable transportation options for people in need.” Simply stated, we aim to put as many donated vehicles as possible in the hands of families without transportation who will use the cars to get to work and transform their lives.

One of the first programs in the nation to develop a model for matching donated vehicles with families needing transportation, we are a pioneer in the world of donated wheels. Since 1996, we have awarded more than 4,000 donated vehicles to New England families in need.

Direct Impact – A car donation to Good News Garage offers donors the ability to directly impact the life of a neighbor in need. Whether a vehicle donated to Good News Garage is matched with a family or sold, a family in New England is directly impacted by the donation. Cars matched with a family provide the key to allowing them to get to work, provide for their family and build a better life. Cars sold provide the funds we need to repair the vehicles matched with families – repairs needed to bring donated vehicles to the high level of safety and reliability required by Good News Garage standards.

Tax Advantage – All car donations to a charitable organization, as defined by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), are tax deductible. In the case of donated vehicles that are sold, donors may claim a deduction in the amount of the proceeds received by the organization. However, the IRS does recognize some exceptions. Qualified organizations in receipt of donated vehicles that then give the vehicle to a needy individual or family are an exception allowing the donor to deduct the vehicle’s fair market value. This amount is often many times greater than the amount the organization would have received had it been sold. Simply stated, by the nature of our mission, donors’ potential for a higher tax deduction is greater with Good News Garage.

Unlike some other car donation programs, Good News Garage does not offer "free gifts" in exchange for car donations. Gifts impact the value of your charitable tax deduction. According to the IRS Publication 526: Charitable Contributions, any benefit received as a result of the donation must offset the tax deduction. Good News Garage does not offer gifts for vehicle donations because we do not wish to devalue your tax deduction.

Outstanding Customer Service – Many charitable organizations utilize third party call centers and liquidators to administer their car donation programs. Good News Garage takes a different approach. We handle all aspects of the car donation process in-house, including: intake, pick-up, evaluation, repairs, disposition, required receipts and tax paperwork. When you donate your vehicle, you will be speaking with a Good News Garage staff member. We are committed to honoring our donors with the highest level of service, courtesy and respect.

Clients and donors alike are offered the opportunity to provide feedback via a survey. Data collected from these surveys are used for to constantly improve our procedures, including how we interact with clients and donors. Our survey data shows 97% of our car donors would donate to Good News Garage again!

History and heritage – Good News Garage is a program of Lutheran Social Services (LSS), a human service agency with a 140 year history of serving and caring for people in need in New England, including: adoption and foster care services, residential homes for teens at risk, services for refugees and immigrants, disability and in-home care services, affordable housing and assisted and skilled nursing care for elders. LSS is an accredited agency of the Council on Accreditation (COA). LSS is a member of Lutheran Services in America (LSA), the national umbrella network of Lutheran social ministries that together comprise one of the nation's largest charities. One in 50 Americans is served by a Lutheran social ministry program. You can be assured when you donate a vehicle to Good News Garage that you are selecting a trustworthy organization with a long history and a rich tradition of service.